The maker of Marmite has launched legal action against the British National Party for using the brand in an election video.

Global omnicorp Unilever was unimpressed by a YouTube clip that prominently featured a jar of its celebrated yeast extract alongside a standard loony tirade by BNP leader Nick Griffin.

The firm today announced it had initiated injunction proceedings to stop the BNP using Marmite in promotional material again.

On his Facebook page, Griffin claimed the video prompted by Marmite's own recent advertising campaign, which played on its long-running "you either love it or hate it" slogan with a spoof election featuring "Love" and "Hate" parties.

"Unilever PR men and lawyers over us like a rash," he wrote.

"Very upset at our using Marmite in our TV broadcast. They should have thought of that before modelling the one for their Hate Party on us."

Unilever said in a statement: "Neither Marmite nor any other Unilever brand are aligned to any political party.

"We are currently initiating injunction proceedings against the BNP to remove the Marmite jar from the online broadcast and prevent them from using it in future." ®